


Firen Lhain Season 5

by RWBY Dialogues (Weatherman667)



Series: Firen Lhain [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M, Faunus AU, Jaune Dominant, Multi, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28649436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weatherman667/pseuds/RWBY%20Dialogues
Summary: Season 5 runs parallel to Volume 5, though, because Blake's arc is entirely related to Faunus, it is largely left as-is.Pollinated Knight (lancaster, white knight, knightshade, dragonslayer, white rose, ladybug, sunshine, checkmate, freezerburn, and bumblebee)Post-FallUnderaged because of Ruby.S4 and S5 will be updated Sat/Sun/MonVolume 6 starts down a completely different path.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Blake Belladonna, Jaune Arc/Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc/Weiss Schnee, Jaune Arc/Yang Xiao Long, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose/Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Firen Lhain [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765852
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Strength of Stone

JNRR walked into the town, and all eyes were upon them. As they approached the square, a crowd started to form. A dignified man approached them. "Huntsmen?!" he eagerly asked.

"Uh, yeah..." Jaune voiced, only to be cut off by Nora and Ruby.

"Huntressesmen!" they exclaimed.

"Still not a word!" Jaune said over them.

"We are a Huntsman team from Beacon." Ren stated, causing everyone to gasp.

"If you have a problem with Grimm?.." Nora asked.

"We'd be happy to help!" Ruby eagerly stated.

"We are having trouble with a golem!" the dignified man stated.

"Golem?" Jaune asked, looking over his left shoulder at Ruby. When she couldn't reply he looked over his right shoulder at Ren.

"I am," Ren voiced, "uncertain."

"Well," Jaune continued, "they did teach us to be ready to encounter new Grimm."

"There is a small..." the dignied man said, and Jaune immediately sighed, "we cannot..."

A horned man walked up to them. A blacksmith, it seemed; a blacksmith intently eyeing Jaune's armour.

"Can we help you?" Nora asked him, suspiciously.

"That's kind of why we're here." Ruby added.

"Your armour looks old and worn." the blacksmith stated. "I can offer you my services." he said.

"Are you sure?" the dignified man asked.

"I didn't come here," the horned blacksmith voiced, "the strike it rich. I came here because I thought you would need me."

Jaune looked at the blacksmith contemplatively.

"You should get a bow!" Nora exclaimed.

"I - have a bow." Jaune voiced.

"Well, yeah, but it's just a bow!" Nora added. "You could make it a sword or something."

Jaune looked at the blacksmith contemplatively.

"You do have to string your bow whenever you need it." Ruby stated.

"It's... a bow?.." Jaune asked her them.

"I rarely get to do Huntsmen weapons out here." the blacksmith eagerly said.

"We do still have the metal from..." Ren added, and Jaune sighed, looking down dejectedly.

"You know she would want you to." Ruby stated.

"Oh!" Nora shouted, "SHE - WOULD - ALWAYS - PROTECT YOU!"

Jaune looked up and nodded. "Do you know what a bill / billhook is?"

"Of course I do!" the blacksmith exclaimed, "So, longbow/bill?" he asked.

"And billhook." Jaune stated.

"For your arrows?" Nora asked, and he nodded.

"Right handed." Jauned stated. "And... I honestly don't know what the draw weight should be. Probably at least 300lbs?" he asked, causing the locals to all gasp. "What?, my old one was 200lbs. With Aura I'm a LOT stronger... I think..."

"Impossible." one of the townsfolk stated.

"He's a Huntsman." another added.

"200lbs without Aura?" the first asked, and the second remained silent.

The blacksmith stared at him in deep contemplation. Making a weapon that can fold that strong was, nearly, ridiculous. It would take all of his dedication, and still might take longer than a week.

"I can do it." the blacksmith said, as much to himself as to anyone else. "I guess we'll start after the hunt?"

"Psht." Nora stated.

"Psht?" Jaune asked.

"You're the leader." Nora stated

"And you think I can?.." Jaune asked.

"YES!" Nora exclaimed.

"I don't think this is a very good idea..." Jaune voiced.

"You need more faith in your leader." Ren said to him with a smile.

"But I'm my?.." Jaune voiced, "wait a minute?" He looked between the other three, seeing them smile brilliantly at him. He just glared at them in reply. He then breathed in deeply and sighed. "I suppose... I'm getting used to staying out of the fray. I just can't keep up with you guys."

"LEADER!" Nora admonished.

"Jaune!" Ruby added.

"I didn't mean..." he said, and paused, and breathed, "I mean, like, you guys can literally run faster than me. I'm getting used to doing what I can from the outside. You know what?, you've convinced me. Let's go hunt the Grimm we don't know anything about without my weapon..."

"And armour." Nora added, causing Jaune to let out a big sigh

"For the armour," the smith stated, "I could just take some measurements ahead of time. It would give me a chance to work on the weapon."

"That... works..." Jaune voiced. He then turned to the others.

"And we!," Ruby exclaimed, "spend the time doing the hard work."

"Collecting information." Ren voiced.

"Talking to people?" Nora asked, and Ruby energentically nodded. To her, talking was the hardest work of all.

* * *

Jaune walked up to the others as they sat around.

"That took you like FOREVER!" Nora shouted.

"A LOT of tests... and measurements... how does the balance feel on this?.." Jaune mumbled.

"What kind of tests?" Ruby asked.

"To see how strong I am." Jaune stated.

"OOOH!" Nora exclaimed.

"How strong _are_ you?" Ruby asked, and Jaune shrugged.

"What?" Nora asked, "You failed?!"

"Oh no," Jaune stated, "I definitely passed." he said and sighed. He then brought his arms up and pretended to break something. "Snap." he stated. Ruby stared at him wide eyed with a wagging tail.

"Wicked." Nora stated.

"So?," Ren asked, "what... draw strength are you going to use?"

"Basic 300lbs." Jaune stated. "Full draw would be closer to 400 - 450lbs."

"And?.." Ruby asked, "You can do that?"

"I can do more." Jaune stated, "He's going to add hard-light and gravity dust that could full draw to like, half a ton, or something." Jaune then shrugged. "With my Aura I can apparently get ridiculously strong."

"That..." Nora voiced, "would be one way of saying that."

"So, what did we learn?" Jaune asked.

"About two dozen feet tall, or so." Ren stated.

"So?," Nora asked, "like 4 Jaunes."

"We're using me for height now?" Jaune asked.

"You are incredibly tall." Ruby said, looking up at him from the ground.

"When you're not slouching." Nora added.

"You are the tallest among us." Ren stated

"Especially with your antlers!" Nora added.

Jaune then bent down to look at them.

"Yes," Ren stated, "seems to be made of stone."

"Are we sure it's a Grimm?" Jaune asked.

"What else would it be?" Nora asked.

"I really don't want to know." he uttered.

"It does have a Grimm face..." Ruby stated, "mask... Grimm-face-mask."

"I doubt it's made out of rock." Jaune said, "Is it?"

"We can only speculate." Ren stated.

"If it is made out of stone, then the mask would be the vulnerability." Jaune stated. "If it's just... really hard, then Aura attacks should work against it."

Nora then raised her hand, "And if the mask is made out of stone?"

"I don't know..." Jaune voiced, "hit it really hard with a hammer?"

"On it!" Nora exclaimed.

"How often does it attack?" Jaune asked.

"Whenever it wants." Ruby replied.

"It seems impossible to predict." Ren added.

"Then we have to hunt it." Jaune stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/639840057233178624/firen-lhain-chapter-501-strength-of-stone) tumblog.


	2. Fallen

Nora spiraled down from above, looking around. She could see giant, round footprints spread all over. She couldn't tell which way was coming and which way was going, and they were all over the place. She gave up and dove down, landing soundly by the others. "Like, all over the place. I can't tell what's coming or going."

"Did you?.." Ren asked.

"No, I didn't seen any sign of him." Nora replied.

"Most perplexing." Ren added.

"We can't just wait until it attacks again." Jaune said.

"We need to find it!" Ruby stated, and Jaune sighed.

"I have... no idea... how to track a bunch of rocks."

"Perhaps?.." Ren stated, "we find it's malice?.."

JNR looked at him curiously.

"Can you do that?" Ruby asked, and Ren breathed in deeply. He brought his hands together in front of him as he tried to centre himself. His eyes opened once again. "I can feel a presence when Grimm are around. It is like a deep terror that makes my skin crawl."

The others momentarily shivered. Ren stared as if into nothingness before his eyes focused again.

"Are you sure?" Nora asked, and Ren slowly nodded.

"So, what?" Ruby asked, "we walk around until Ren feels?.." she said, and then trailed off, and Ren nodded in reply.

"We'll follow the footprints." Jaune stated.

"Which ones?" Nora asked.

"At this point it doesn't really matter." Jaune replied. Nora looked around for a moment and then pointed in a direction. Jaune reached over to grab the hilt of his sword, and looked shocked when it wasn't there. He then dejected dropped his head. "Let's just get going."

* * *

JNRR walked along, following the giant footsteps on the ground.

"So?" Nora asked, "What are we looking for?"

"Rocks." Ruby replied, and Jaune nodded.

"Like big ones." Jaune added.

"What kinds of rocks?" Nora asked, and Jaune just glared at her.

"We are the ones who spoke to the witnesses." Ren stated.

"So?" Nora asked him, "what are we looking for?" And Ren had nothing to say in reply.

"A pile of rocks." Jaune said.

"Pile of rocks?" Nora asked.

"Big ones." Jaune stated.

"By the footprints!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Exactly." Jaune added.

"That I can look for." Nora said, and when Ruby and Jaune looked over she was standing on top of her hammer, launching herself into the air.

Jaune sighed, and then looked at Ren.

"She is mysterious." Ren said with a smile.

"I'm more worried about if you're feeling... the willies?.." Ruby stated.

"Willies?" Ren asked.

"Creepy-crawlies." Ruby added, "Under your skin."

"Oh?" Ren asked, "Not as of yet."

* * *

Nora spiraled back down to the group, looking disappointed. Jaune then looked at Ren, who still had nothing. "Let's head back to town." Jaune stated.

* * *

"That's so disappointing!" Ruby exclaimed.

"One thing I've heard," Jaune stated, "is that a lot of Huntsmen find the hunt harder than the fight."

"Says who?" Nora asked.

"Peter Port." Jaune stated, and the others stared at him. "What?" Jaune asked.

"You were paying attention?!" Nora added.

"It's kind of hard not to in Professor Port's classroom." Jaune replied.

"Didn't you?.." Ruby asked, "have a bit of trouble?.."

"I didn't know enough to even ask questions." Jaune stated. "I hope I learned as much as I think I did."

"I'm sure you did." Ren stated.

"You're not as dumber," Nora stated ,"as you think you are."

Jaune developed a mild smile, "Thanks guys." he said with quiet sincerity.

"I was really just," Ruby said, "overwhelmed." Jaune reached his arm over her shoulder, pulling her in.

"Me, too, Ruby."

* * *

The four sat around their bedroom. "Who wants first watch?" Jaune asked, and the four looked at him questioningly, but all quickly accepted. Nora's hand quickly jumped up.

"At this point," Ren stated, "I believe our watches are assumed."

Jaune looked between the others, but no one had an objection.

* * *

JNRR walked along under the morning light, following another path of giant footprints.

* * *

The light was approaching midday, when Ren stopped in his tracks. They all stopped to look at him, and all knew what it meant.

* * *

A burst of rose petals flew into the through the woods, a crashing sound behind. The ground rumbled like minor earth quakes as trees could be heard being torn assunder. Ruby reverted, aiming Crescent Rose behind her. She let off a shot, the recoil of which launching her forward again. She once again turned into rose petals to fly through the woods.

* * *

Rose petals flew through the tree line, skirting the clearing before quickly traveling back into the woods again. The great stone Golem crashed through the woods into the clearing, looking around, trying to find it's target.

Jaune, Ren, and Nora stood crouched, hidden around fallen trees and stumps on the other side of the clearing. Jaune once again grabbed at the hilt of his sword, only to find it missing.

"Oh, yes," he voiced, "you're the LEADER, you don't NEED a weapon." He turned to look at Ren and Nora. Ren had subtle smile while Nora had a brilliant one. "What?" Jaune asked.

"What's the plan?" Nora asked, and Jaune just stared at her for a moment, before sighing.

"Ren is a decoy." Jaune stated, "Nora, try to knock off one of it's limbs. Ren moves in afterwards to distract the Golem. It does have a Grimm face, so that's probably the only thing we can hurt with smaller weapons."

With this Ren's smile grew even larger.

"See?" Nora said to him, and Jaune once again sighed. She stood on her hammer and launched herself into the air, using her wings to aim herself at the Golem. Ren rushed out a moment later, izg-zagging foward, Jaune charging a moment behind him.

Ruby fired Crescent Rose to change her course, and sped into the clearing, spread out from the others.

Nora landed powerfully with her hammer on the Golem's right arm, knocking it off. The heavy stone slab fell to the ground as Ren's guns fired aimed shots of wind dust into the Golem's face. He ran into it, running up the Golem, before flipping off the top to move away. The Golem was shocked by losing it's arm, and then momentarily stunned as Ren fired into it's face. It seemed to recover, looking around, when it saw a tree on the ground. A slender, black arm reached out towards the tree on the ground.

"It's not a Golem!" Jaune shouted, and Ruby unloaded her magazine and swapped it for one with pure fire dust. She pulled the charging handle and aimed at the log. She fired, and when it struck, the log lit on fire. "Good job!" Jaune shouted, until it became clear that whatever it was was not being affected by the fire. It then started to swing the burning log around. "Or not!"

Ruby replied with an embarassed snicker.

"Knock it's arms of!" Jaune shouted, "When they're gone, head for the head. Ruby, watch out for whatever is inside."

With this, Ruby turned into rose petals and flew back to a vantage point, aiming Crescent Rose while looking over it's sights.

"After!" Jaune shouted.

"Oh, right!" Ruby replied, and turned into rose petals, flying towards the Golem.

Jaune once again reached for the hilt of his sword, and sighed, dropping his head dejectedly. He breathed in deep and ran towards the Golem. Ruby's scythe slashed the black arm that passed through the small space between the Golem and the burning tree while Nora knocked off the other stone arm. Ren was already charging up the centre, flying at the Golem. He struck it with the heel of his palm, causing an Aura shockwave to travel through the Golem, knocking it onto it's stone back.

The Golem seemed dazed for a moment, when a small black form pulled out of it. Likely the true form of the Golem, appearing like a ghost, floating there, looking around. Before long Ren's guns were hitting it rapidly, as Nora and Ruby both flew towards it.

* * *

The blacksmith loudly put Crocea Mors onto the table, and the four stood in awe. "That was some fine metal you brought me." the blacksmith said to them, "Accents the white nicely. Where'd you get it from?"

"From a friend." Jaune quietly stated.

"I know you didn't want me to do anything with it, but I gave it a dust reservoir while I was reinforcing it." the blacksmith added. "It's designed to spread out over the shield, however that works for you. Now..." he said, and reached below the bench counter and put what looked like a mechanical billhook on the table. Jaune tentatively grabbed the billhook, "It's everything we talked about." Jaune looked over his shoulder to glare at the others. Ren turned to step back.

"Huh?" Ruby asked, until she realized what was happening and turned to join Ren. This just left Nora for Jaune to glare at.

"What's wrong?"

"Could you give me some space?" Jaune asked.

"Oh!" Nora replied with wide eyes. She then turned around and ran to join the others.

Jaune played with the billhook. At first testing it's balance, and it was certainly a good billhook. As he moved it about he seemed... to know... how to open it up. As he adopted a stance to grab it with two hands, it extended about 6 feet out. Again, he tested the balance. It had impeccable balance. He then looked at the blacksmith, wanting to ask about the bowstring.

"The best way to get it to work is to have you draw the string. It will pull the whole thing into position."

Jaune wasn't sure how he knew, but he reached for something and grabbed a string. As he pulled it, the bladed edge folded forward, completely disappearing. It turned into a full an proper longbow. He pulled on the bowstring, and it flexed like his bow, except much more powerful. He then did a proper draw, and it worked just like a longbow should.

"The full draw can be scaled quite a bit." the blacksmith said to him, "I'd be careful before you use it."

"Of course." Jaune said. "I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but... it's fantastic."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/639930682521616384/firen-lhain-chapter-502-fallen) tumblog.
> 
> Note: One of the many things the show seemed to forget is that Ren uses his open-palm Aura shockwave as a finisher, when it's his signature move.


	3. Grasp

Aurora opened the door as Weiss returned to her room, and Weiss looked at her with surprise.

"Miss?" Aurora asked her.

"How did you know I was going to be back?" Weiss asked her.

"A servants primary role is anticipation." Aurora said with a bright smile.

"Says who?" Weiss asked, and Aurora looked down nervously. "I did not mean..." Weiss tried to say.

Aurora seemed to regain her confidence, "It was Klein." she said, and she wanted to step aside, but the coffee in Weiss' hand caught her eye. Weiss looked nervous until Aurora stepped aside. Weiss stepped into the room with Aurora closing the door behind her. "How did your meeting with your father go?" she asked. Weiss elegantly sat on her couch and they dropped her head forward.

"He wants me to sing." Weiss uttered.

"Oh - my - gods!" Aurora exclaimed, "You have such a beautiful singing voice!" Her smile quickly disappeared into shock, "I am sorry for that outburst." She dropped her head and Weiss did not say or do anything in reply. Aurora lifted her head to see a subtle smile.

"Most people these days," Weiss stated, "prefer the meaningless pop."

"Popular music doesn't put your soul out on stage like classical music does." Aurora voiced, "I wish I could have gotten into it..."

"Did you not have the talent?." Weiss asked, and Aurora nervously looked down, "Ah, yes... of course."

"So, Miss, would you tell me about your concert?"

"It will be a fund raiser for Beacon Academy."

"That sounds wonderful!" Aurora exclaimed. With this Weiss walked back her own thoughts, and it was actually a good idea. If she had to be locked in a guilded cage, she might as well use it to help Beacon. She breathed in deeply and regained her calm.

"I will need your help getting ready for it." Weiss stated.

"Of course, Miss." Aurora replied.

* * *

Taiyang sat on the couch next to Yang and leaned forward without looking at her. He breathed in and sighed. "We... need to talk..." Yang briefly looked at him before looking quickly looking forward again. "We... have to talk about your arm..." Yang reached over to her right arm, grasping the emptiness below her stump. "Do you know why your arm hasn't regenerated?" Taiyang asked. Yang just nervously leaned forward. "Because you don't want it to. You need something to fight for. For me, that was Summer, Raven... and Qrow... What do you have to fight for?" Yang wrapped her arm around her legs. "Your team?.." he asked, and RWB_ flashed before her eyes. She winced at Blake's appearance. "A boy you like?.." With this Jaune's dumb face appeared, backlit with a warming sunrise. With this she smiled.

"You need something to get you to want to get onto your feet," Taiyang continued, "you need something to get you to want to get back into the world. You... also need to eat..."

"Daaad." Yang admonished.

"That Jaune guy had it right, you can't recover without eating... MORE than you used to. You need to regrow an arm, and you can't do that without food. Besides, you're wasting away."

"Daad!" an offended Yang replied.

"You have always been so powerful, so forceful." Taiyang said, "I hate to see you slip away." Yang nervously looked forward. "Do you have that thing to fight for?"

"Yes..." Yang nervously said.

"Then fight for it." Taiyang stated. Yang nodded. "And to start," he said, and stood up, "we're going to make sure you've got yourself one hell of a meal."

"Dad?" she nervously asked.

"Hm?"

"You?," Yang nervously asked, "lost your arm?"

"Leg." he quietly said, "But luckily for me I had Summer and Raven to take care of me. Too bad that Jaune guy couldn't stick around, but he had to take care of Ruby." he said, and sighed.

"I'm glad he did." Yang said, as she stood up. Taiyang's head quickly twisted over towards her. "Taking care of Ruby is one of the only things I really want. I'm glad he's there to take care of it."

* * *

Weiss walked up to the conservatory, when she heard music coming from within. She opened the door and peered in. Aurora sat up with a start from the piano. "I'm so sorry, Miss!" she exclaimed. Weiss elegantly walked in and closed the door, walking up to her.

"I did not know you played the piano?" Weiss asked her, and Aurora shyly leaned forward before catching herself and sitting up properly.

"I'm sorry, Miss."

"Exactly what are you apologizing for?" Weiss asked her, and Aurora paused for thought. "I did ask you a question."

"Ah!, yes, Miss." Aurora replied, "I mean, I play, but not enough to make such a declaration."

"Let me hear you." Weiss said. Aurora nervously lined herself up with the piano and tentantively lowered her hands. She paused for a moment to look at Weiss before quickly looking back to the piano.

While the song was simple, she did play it well. She quickly finished and nervously looked at Weiss, seemingly expecting Weiss to be judgemental. Weiss simply smiled at her.

"Now," Weiss continued, "I did come here for a bit of practice, do you think you could accompany me?"

"Oh, no!" Aurora exclaimed, "Perish the thought, Miss! I am nowhere near good enough to accompany someone like you."

"Like me?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, I mean, you sing like an angel." Aurora said, and Weiss had an immediate flashback. It was Jaune,

* * *

"Not in the slightest, snow angel."

* * *

Weiss shook her head to clear her thoughts, when something dire occcured to her. He did not, in any way, know who she was. All of her life, boys had only cared about the perks of my last name. He honestly did not even know what they were. She shook her head to try and focus on the here and now. She felt quiet and meek, but had to stand at attention, as any Schnee did. Her body flushed every hue of blue for a moment until she exhaled and inhaled, returning her natural whiteness.

"Miss?" Aurora asked.

"Just... reminiscing..." Weiss stated. "Now, if you could produce a simple beat, it will help me keep the meter."

"Are you sure, Miss?" Aurora asked.

"Quite." Weiss augustly replied.

* * *

Yang devoured the feast before her like her life depended on it. She wasn't going to be a broken little girl any more. No, she was going to be a broken woman!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Yangst continues as per usual, with the exception of her regenerating her arm rather than getting a prosthesis. I've made the conscious decision to not rewrite every single piece of dialogue to remove reference to the prosthesis. Oobleck and Port come to visit the house. Taiyang still spars with Yang, giving her his absolutely terrible advice. The difference is she's fighting with only one arm. While this would visually be distinct, that doesn't make as much of a difference in the written medium. I also don't want to have to copy-paste Taiyang's terrible advice, but it's very indicative of his character to give this terrible advice. He's too much of a coward to understand her hyperaggressive fighting style, and his inability to understand it makes it impossible for him to give constructive advice in comparison to it.
> 
> P.P.S. Taiyang's cowardice is what stopped the rest of his team from going on suicide attacks, and as such is incredible useful in context, but dangerous in other contexts, like how he advises Yang to completely abandon everything she knows about fighting in order to adopt his own fighting style.
> 
> Originally posted on my [RWBY DIalogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/640021260968017920/firen-lhain-chapter-503-grasp) tumblog.


	4. Grab the Bull by it's Horns

Qrow stood overlooking the escarpment; JNRR well below them walking through the valley. He breathed in deep for a moment when he heard footfalls from behind him. He did his best to not act as if he did. They were running, light but heavy. Not like you were trying to cross the distance, not like you were trying to catch up to a friend. No, they were footfalls of a predator hunting it's prey. A bit more of pretending to enjoy the overlook.

He tried his best to not react until the very last second when he drew his sword and held it over his shoulder. It extended down behind him blocking the kick. Whoever it was pushed off the sword and vaulted backwards.

"Nothing personal, little birdy," Tyrian said to him, "but you're in way." Tyrian made a flying kick at Qrow's face before he could take in what he had said, but used his left hand to push the boot away, slashing down with his sword a moment later.

Tyrian spun out of way of the slash, ending up on all fours. As soon as he landed he spun around, trying to use his left leg to sweep Qrow's leg. Qrow was too dedicated to his swing that the leg stuck, the Aura around his leg briefly flashing. Qrow collapsed his sword and put it away and Tyrian stood and stared at him an incredibly disturbing look.

"Oh, no?" Tyrian asked, "I am too fast for your large sword to keep up with?" Qrow in reply cricked his neck and stared at him. This caused Tyrian to let out a disturbing laugh. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed.

"Who are you after?!" Qrow shouted.

"Oh!," Tyrian exclaimed, "I think you know her. You've been following her since she left that island of yours." Qrow sneered at him as Tyrian crouched down and lunged forward. "Of course," he said as he made a lunging punch against Qrow that Qrow was quick enough to move out of the way of, "it's not your island, is it?"

Qrow put everything he had to into a punch, which Tyrian quickly dodged. "What do you want with Ruby?!" Qrow asked.

"Oh?" Tyrian asked, "Me? Nothing, really, but it seems some tart took exception to her. She has proven useful, so who am I to question my queen?"

Tyrian lunged forward, and Qrow drew his scythe, slashing where Tyrian should have been. Tyrian flipped backwards, missing the scythe by a few inches, landing on all fours. Qrow looked down to a scorpion tail withdrawing from his stomach His hand found it's way to the wound... it burned... and he was already feeling woozy. He collapsed his scythe down to a sword, which folded back. Qrow shot his gun multiple times. He wasn't trying to hit Tyrian, just create space, which he did. In a moment he had turned and changed into a crow, flying, almost limping off the escarpment. He kiltered back and forth, constantly varying his flight, making sure that an attack from the land could not hit him. It wasn't until he was a hundred yards away that his flight somewhat stabilized. Somewhat, as she still teetered back and forth once in a while. Every flap was getting harder.

He couldn't think of anything at the moment other than getting to Ruby. At the very least, he could warn her.

* * *

JNRR walked about the vast ruins of Oniyuri, when they heard shouting from one of the houses. "Kiddo!" it cried.

"What was that?!" Nora asked.

Ruby looked at the house and paused, "It can't be..."

"Kiddo!" the voice repeated, and Ruby turned into a puff of rose petals, flying off to the building. Jaune looked at Nora and held out his hand low. Nora smile and stepped onto it, being thrown high into the air. Jaune then looked at Ren,

"When you get there," Jaune stated, "lookout." Ren let out a weak smile and then stepped onto Jaune's hand. Jaune then threw him like a javelin at the building. Ren's Aura flashed as he landed on the roof. He flattened himself out, looking in every direction, even if he had to turn about in his own space to look behind him. Jaune was running up, bounding up almost like a deer, until he reached the building and jumped to it's roof.

"Down here, kiddo..." Qrow voiced, and Ruby rounded the corner, finding a wounded Qrow on the ground leaning up against the building.

"Uncle Qrow?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"We don't have time..." Qrow voiced.

"Time for what?" Ruby asked,

"Just!.." Qrow shouted at her, with a face she rarely saw, "Just... coming..."

"Who?.."

"He..." Qrow voiced. "Bad news. The worst you've ever seen."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"I mean," Qrow huffed, "like what happend to Yang. Serious."

"But?.." Ruby tried to say.

"No buts, kiddo. This is what you were training for. What you will all train for. Just know he's bad. It's doesn't matter how bad you think he can be, he's worse."

Nora looked over the eves on the roof, "Bad enough to get him."

"Exactly." Qrow said, pointing at Nora, and then looked back at Ruby. "His Semblance... can cut through Aura. And, he's a Faunus, scorpion Faunus, and that's what got me."

"We can?!.." Ruby shouted, "We can?!.. Medicine. We can get medicine!"

"Appreciate the thought, kiddo." Qrow tried to say.

"No, we can't!" Jaune shouted from the roof, "Every venom has it's own antivenom!"

"but... we can..." Ruby tried to say.

"Water." Jaune said, "Flush the wound with water." Ruby stumbled trying to get her canteen out, which Qrow took from her hands.

"He's..." Qrow voiced.

"Here!" Ren shouted from the rooftop.

"Just remember..." Qrow weakly said, and opened the canteen and moved it to his wound, "Your parents were Huntsmen; you are one of the strongest girls I've ever known. You can do this, Kiddo, but... serious..." he voiced. Ruby turned into rose petals to fly to the roof as Qrow poured the water against his wound. "Good kid..." Qrow voiced, as he put down the canteen and pulled out his flask.

Ruby landed on the roof and pulled out Crescent Rose into a rifle, looking about.

"Put that away." Jaune said, "We're not going to get a bead on him."

Ruby looked at him nervously, unsure of what to do.

"Relax!" Qrow shouted, "You can do this!"

Ruby looked about nervously for a moment before opening up Crescent Rose to it's full scythe.

"What did I say, kiddo?!" Qrow shouted from down below.

"Huh?" Ruby asked, "Oh! He has a scorpion tail, and his Semblance can break through Aura."

Jaune folded up his bill and put it away before drawing his sword and shield.

"You'll get another chance to test it out." Nora voiced.

The footfalls were getting closer now, behind the next building when they stopped. The only sound that could be heard was the whistling of the wind, along with a few groans from Qrow.

"Away from the edge." Jaune said, and Ren and Nora slowly backed away. Ruby and Jaune moved closer together as well. Out of nowhere Tyrian sprung up, his foot aiming for Ruby. Jaune quickly moved his shield in place to intercept the attack. Tyrian bounced off the shield and flew to the next rooftop. He then stood up, eerily staring at Jaune.

"Well." he salaciously said, "what do we have here?"

"What do you want?!" Nora shouted at him.

"Oh, you don't have anything to worry about." Tyrian said, and then looked at Ren. "Or you." His gaze focused on Ruby. "You do." He then looked to Jaune, "And you've caught my interest."

Ruby aimed Crescent Rose at him and fired, though he dodged the attack, jumping off the rooftop.

"Nora!" Jaune shouted. Nora ran towards him. He turned to use his shield to launch her into the air. She opened her wings and started gliding down.

"He's over there!" Nora shouted, pointing at a building. Tyrian sprung off the rooftop and was nearly at theirs before they could react. Ren dove towards him and reached out with his weapons. Jaune noticed the blades extending forward from Tyrian's arms with wide eyes as Ren's intercepted them, inches away. Tyrian's tail struck at him, but Ren deftly moved his body out of the way while still holding back Tyrian's blades. Jaune swung his sword through Tyrian's space, Tyrian backflipping out of the way, only to have Nora's hammer land soundly onto him. It knocked him off the building into a square and created a crater where he landed. It took him a moment to recover.

"Break his aura!" Jaune shouted. Nora and Ruby launched themselves. Ren was launched off of Jaune's shield, Jaune jumping down a moment later.

Nora's hammer struck the ground soundly, with Tyrian moving just out of the way of the blow. He did not move out of the way of the pink explosive shockwave that followed. He was then struck full force by Ruby's scythe. Jaune built up speed, charging at the stunned Tyrian. When he recovered enough to see this coming he stood nervously for a moment before attempting to move. Jaune was barreling at him, and he could barely move. He found Ren's open palm striking the small of his back sending a shockwave through him. Jaune headbutted him with the centre of his antlers. As Tyrian flailed about his arms and legs were struck the sharp points of Jaune's antlers. Tyrian's aura broke and another point pierced into Tyrian's arm. As he landed he struck Nora. As he tried to stab Nora with his tail, Ruby's scythe fired, cutting it off.

Despite the shock, Tyrian managed to recover enough to flee.


	5. Inspiration

Aurora awkwardly stood outside the room as Jacques shouted at her mistress. The door eventually opened with Jacques walking out with a horribly smug look on his face. Aurora did her best to smile while Jacques just scowled at her and walked away. She walked up to the door as she heard shuffling in the room and knocked.

Weiss stopped what she was doing for a moment. "Who's there?!"

"Aurora, Miss!" Aurora replied. Weiss paused and stood up at a attention as she thought it over. She was the one who hired her after all.

Weiss sighed before speaking, "Come in!" Aurora opened the door, seeing the state of the room and quickly closed it behind herself. She rushed over to Weiss' side, eager to help. "You can help me by clearing some space."

* * *

Aurora stood by as Weiss opened up a summoning circle. She struggled with it and it eventually disappeared. Weiss was huffing out of breath.

"Perhaps some coffee?" Aurora asked.

"Please?" Weiss replied.

* * *

Aurora placed the tray on the coffee table and knelt down to prepare Weiss's coffee.

"And for yourself." Weiss stated.

"Yes, Miss." Aurora said. She finished preparing them and walked over to the couch, as the coffee table was not in the best place. Weiss gestured to the seat next to her on the couch and Aurora sat down to join her.

Weiss elegantly drank from her coffee and placed the cup on the saucer as Aurora did the same.

"Now," Weiss said, "what I tell you cannot leave this room."

"Of course, Miss!" Aurora eagerly replied. Weiss held up her hand and Aurora quieted down.

"I..." Weiss voiced, "wish... to depart."

Aurora breathed in deeply. "You are a Huntress, Miss. I knew what I was in for when I applied to be your assistant."

Weiss paused as she looked at her. "Even?," Weiss asked, "if we'd be fugitives?"

Aurora leaned towards her, speaking just above a whisper, "You are being illegally detained." Aurora stated.

"You," Weiss curiously asked, "would accompany me?" Weiss asked.

"As I said, I knew you were a Huntress when I applied for the job."

"I, "Weiss voiced, "wouldn't be able to pay." Weiss voiced.

"I do not keep my Lien in mainstream banks." Aurora voiced, and Weiss looked at her curiously, "to avoid... because..." Aurora voiced, and rubbed her hand against her bare forearm. "If you wish, I could move your Lien there as well?"

Weiss simply looked at her, having not thought that far. She breathed in deep before subtly nodding.

* * *

Yang sat on the couch, feeling her right arm with her left, and it was definitely longer than it had been.

"See." Taiyang said to her and she nodded, "All you have to do is care for yourself."

"Uh?" Yang asked, "Nuh."

"Nuh?" Taiyang skeptically asked her.

"I needed to find someone to love me." Yang said, looking her father in the eyes, "Need to find someone to love me."

Taiyang was going to step away but stopped and turned around. "Come again?" he asked.

"Need to find someone to love me."

"That's not what you said." Taiyang replied.

"Totally is." Yang said to him, but had an uncertain look.

"You know you can't lie to me, sweetheart." her father said, and sat down on the couch opposite her.

"It's not so much lying..." Yang said, looking about uncertainly.

"Then what is it?"

Yang looked her father in the eyes, "It's like... REALLY complicated. I'm sure you wouldn't understand."

"Why don't you try me?" Taiyang asked.

"Okay," Yang said, and breathed in deeply. "There's like, a guy." Taiyang's eyes narrowed but didn't say anything. "And like, maybe a girl."

"A girl?" Taiyang asked.

"Maybe two." Yang continued, "And... like... seriously... everything I've done at Beacon was to help Ruby."

"Nothing wrong with your sister being your reason to fight for." Taiyang stated.

"Okay, yeah, but like, the guy, the maybe guy, maybe hopeful guy - is - with Ruby." Taiyang simply stared at her. "Come on, say something, Dad."

"Hm?" Taiyang asked, "Just not surprised. Kind of saw this coming."

"You saw what?" Yang asked.

"How you reacted to him." Taiyang stated, "You listen more to him than you do your father." Yang looked at him with a nervous faux-smile. He slumped back on the couch. "I suppose, it's right, to listen more to your future husband than you do your father."

"Wait?" Yang asked, and sat up with a start, "Future husband?"

"Did you see the way he took care of you?" Taiyang asked, and she looked at her father questioningly. "Did you see the way you looked at him? Of course you didn't." he dismissively said.

"I what?" Yang asked.

"It reminds me of the looks that Raven used to give me." Taiyang stated.

"Mom?.." Yang nervously asked.

"Whatever you might have heard, we did love each other." Taiyang voiced. "Now, what about the girl... girls?"

"I might just be a horny teenage girl, but, I can't believe I actually said that."

"I might be one of the only people that understands." Taiyang voiced. "I did fall in love with two girls at the same time, and they fell in love with me. I kind of hope yours ends up better than mine did."

"You're not mad?" Yang nervously asked.

"How could I be mad?" Taiyang asked, "So long as you actually love them?" he paused, "And they love you?"

Yang quickly looked up into Taiyang's eyes, almost panicking.

"He cares about you." Taiyang voiced, "More than I do."

"You're just saying that." Yang said, and looked into her father's eyes. She knew at the moment that it was true and slumped back into the couch.

"You just have to make sure the other girls don't get there first." Taiyang voiced. Yang sprang to her feet. "What's up?"

"I'm going to get something to eat," Yang said, "then I'm going to get back into my workout."

* * *

Weiss walked into her father's office. Jacques pointed at a chair, "Have a seat." he said. Weiss elegantly walked over and sat in the seat. "Now, perhaps you would like to tell me what is happening to your Lien?"

"I'm investing it, Father." Weiss sharply stated. "If I am to be disinherited, I will need to make sure I am properly invested."

"And how do we know what your pet frog isn't stealing all of the money?!" Jacques asked.

"Because that's exactly what you would want, Father." she stated, and a pregnant pause hung in the air. The two nervously stared at each other until Jacques developed the slightest smile.

* * *

Taiyang slumped down on the couch. "I wish Qrow was here. I could use someone to drink with."

"I am here, Dad." Yang said to him, and he sat up.

"How am I supposed to look the other way if I'm the one you're drinking with?"

"You knew?!" Yang asked him.

"Of course I knew." Taiyang replied. "Kids never seem to remember that adults used to be kids as well. Of course I snuck a drink or two."

"You what?!" Yang asked.

"What?" he replied.

"It's just, you always seemed so responsible."

"Yeah, well," Taiyang said to her, "that didn't happen until Beacon."

"Your team?!" Yang asked.

"Someone had to be responsible, and it certianly wasn't going to be the Branwens."

"What about?.." Yang asked, "um?, Summer."

"She was" Taiyang said, and paused, looking upwards, "inspirational." Taiyang said longingly, reaching out into the distances, "but not very grounded." His arm dropped down and he looked at Yang. He shrugged. "I suppose now's as good of a time as any to have a drink with your old man."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/640564833827291136/firen-lhain-chapter-505-inspiration) tumblog.


	6. Yin / Yang

The horrifying shrieks could heard in the distance; Ren remembered them all too well, as if they were permanently written upon his soul. Nora and Ren looked out over the cliff with terror. Nora reached over to grab Ren's hand. "I," she said and paused, "can't leave you." she voiced.

"If we," he said, struggling with breath, struggling with worry, with anger and sorrow, "if we think - it is the only choice."

"But?!" Nora shouted, "I can't leave you!"

"I," Ren voiced, still struggling for breath, still trying to contain all that was within him, "I will join you - as soon as I'm able. But our friends are down there. Jaune and Ruby are down there. They - need - you - far - more - than I."

"But..." Nora tried to say, and Ren pulled on her arm until she looked him in the tear-sodden eyes.

"Make the same choice that Jaune made when we left." Ren said to her, "Do what you can in the now, or there might not be a future." Tears formed in Nora's eyes and gently graced her cheeks. "This is the first time," he said, with a pause, "in a long time - I've seen you with pause. It is... unsettling." he said to her.

Nora let go of his hand and slowly drew Magnhild. She stood on the hammer and with one last sorrowful look, launched herself into the air. Ren watched as her wings opened and she glided off down the cliff. He breathed in deeply a couple times before leaping after her. He snaked from limb to limb of the trees down the mountain, drawing StormFlower's blades when he needed extra grip. As he descended the air became both sweeter and more sickening. He became more and less awake at the same time.

The terror filled him more and more, but the adrenaline it created drove him onward. Fear and failure were the greatest enemies a warrior could face. One he could deal with, the other would destroy him. He couldn't lose any more.

* * *

"So," Taiyang said to Yang as they stood in the barn, "I'll ask you one more time, where - are you going?" He said as her eyes unfocused and flittered about restlessly, as the thoughts bounced around in her head. It was a few minutes before she made any real movement, and it was one step towards him. "Just tell me, Dad, why did you leave me the letter? Okay, I'll admit, I wasn't exactly listening, like usual, but..."

"What letter?" Taiyang asked.

"The one that said Summer Princess?" Yang asked him, accusingly, but Taiyang just looked lost in reply.

"I've..." he tried to say, unsure even of what was happening, "I figured it was... it was from?.."

"Who?" Yang asked.

Taiyang breathed in deep before replying, "I've never called you Summer Princess." he said simply.

"But?.." she asked.

"I call you Summer Dragon." he said, "Or Sunshine." he added, teetering his head.

Before he realized it, Yang had pushed passed him with her regenerated arm and ran out of the shed. She quickly rushed into the house, and up the stairs, the walls and bannister barely surviving the onslaught. She reached her room and picked up the letter, seeing it still sealed. "My Summer Princess."

_I don't know how to say this... I'm so sorry... I couldn't be with you..._

_But Ruby..._

_Ruby always seems to know where she is needed most... and... I'm sure you've noticed how much help she needs when she gets there... a lot more than I do. But I know you will survive this. You are the strongest, most amazing woman I've ever known. Just thinking about you gives me confidence... confidence I'm afraid I am borrowing from you. It should be you, here, with Ruby, not me... I know you could do a lot more for her than I could..._

_and I'm rambling about myself. I told you I'm not really good at this... just... like... I'm really not good at anything..._

_But, uh, hope to see you soon. We could really use your help... and I would love to see your face... even... if for... a moment..._

_Oh, man, you've got me going now. Uh, bye._

_Sincerly,_

Jaune Arc

Yang fell down to her knees and her head touched the desk. She stood up and rushed from the room back to the shed, getting on her motorcycle and heading out, barely waving goodbye to her father.

* * *

The terrifying cry echoed about the city like metal scratching the back of their next... like claws on their souls. They paused for a moment before Jaune looked at Ruby. "What are you doing?!" he asked her.

"Fighting with you!" she replied, as she pulled out Crescent Rose and expanded it.

"What?," he asked, "No!" He pulled out Black Prince and extended it to a bill. She nearly cried then and there. "What, no, you're great at swooping in at the last minute with your scythe and saving me. Do that."

"OH!?" Ruby exclaimed, and turned into rose petals, flying up to a rooftop.

"Don't take the first shot!" Jaune shouted, drawing an arrow from his quiver, "Keep your distance!" he said, as he knocked the arrow against the hidden string and pulled. The blade folded forward and away safely, and he still marveled at how perfectly it worked as a longbow. Were modern weapons made of magic. He shook his head. "Keep your distance until we know what it can do!"

"Aye-aye!" Ruby shouted, and Jaune quickly looked up at her.

"What was that?!" Jaune asked.

"I'm agreeing with you!"

"Oh..." he voiced, looking back at where the noises were coming from, "ah..." The black thing came around a corner. It looked liked a colossal black horse with a black rider, but... it definitely wasn't anything like Human. It had a horse-neck and head, four horse legs, two Human-like arms, along with a Human-like head and neck. He really wasn't sure what to aim for, so he picked centre of mass. He pulled his bow to a full bend before loosing it, the power still surprising him. It felt like launching a freight train. Said freight train of an arrow passed clean through the Grimm. It created dissolving black Grimm dust and visibly stunned it, but didn't seem to do any real damage. "Well, that's - just - wonderful." he dejectedly sighed. He turned his weapon back into a bill. The horse-head looked between them before the body lined up with Qrow laying against a tree.

Jaune quickly put his weapon away, on the back of his right hip, and ran towards Qrow. He looked back down to the right momentarily, in awe at how easy it was to fold up and put away. He shook his head and redoubled his efforts to get there, pulling his shield out as he ran. He made it in time and ducked down to pick up Qrow. Ruby dove down as rose petals. She landed just in time to cut through one of the legs with her scythe. The caused the creature to stumble, giving Jaune enough time to pick up Qrow as it collapsed in front of them. Jaune ran away as Ruby fired, hitting it in the withers. It was trying to stand cand collapsed once again. The next shot rocked through the hindquarters, causing it again to stumble. By now Jaune was out of sight, hiding Qrow within a building.

"Just..." Jaune voiced, "just keep calm." Qrow nodded as he struggled to pull out his flask. "Whatever." Jaune voiced, and turned to leave the house. He heard a crashing sound, and as he came out saw a building falling down with the creature rushing through it. Rose petals flittered away, first to one rooftop, pausing to aim a shot. She then flittered to the next roof and the next before aiming once again. This shot landed dead centre in the Grimm body. It caused it to collapse once again, but still... didn't seem to be doing any real damage.

Jaune saw something above and looked up, and it was Nora falling down heavily. The hammer landed on the Grimm and it was followed by a large, pink explosion that knocked the wind out of them. Nora waved when she heard something behind her. She turned about to see the Grimm struggling to stand back up. She visibly sighed at it. "Ugh! It got back up!" she gestured at it.

"Yeah!" Jaune replied, "It keeps doing that! Withdraw!"

Nora stood on her hammer and fired it, moving out of the way just as the creature's claws would have struck her.

"Don't get too close!" Jaune stated.

"You got it!" Nora replied, as another bullet from Crescent Rose shot through the creature. It created black dust that disappeared quickly. The creature now fully stood up, and now fell back to the ground. But again, there weren't any closer to killing it.

"Where's Ren?!" Ruby asked, and Nora visibly sighed. She then looked at Jaune.

* * *

Ren moved as quickly as he could through the trees of the forest, to make his way to the town. He could barely think as the anger and rage flowed through him. He lost his family to this creature before. He wouldn't let it happen again.

* * *

"What's the plan?!" Nora shouted, and it was Jaune's turn to visibly sigh. His eyes then caught something quickly moving. Ren had lept onto the back of the horse, the blades of his StormFlower imbeded in the Human-like part's neck. The spines on it's back quickly grew, but he had already dismounted to the left side. The Grimm's left arm and claws swept towards him, but he was already jumping out of the way of it. The arm than extended, lunging towards him before being intercepted by a pink explosion from Nora's grenade launcher. The hand and arm laid on the ground for a moment. Before it flexed as it started recover.

Ren stood, staring the creature down, looking into it's eyes... or at least one set of eyes. Jaune was already rushing over with his shield in hand to block the claws as they extended to Ren once again. "Keep moving." he said to him. "Circle around it."

Ren stood for a moment longer before he took off running, circling clockwise around the beast. Nora and Ruby were now on the ground, as Jaune put his shield away, drawing Black Prince with his right hand and folding it out to a bill. Jaune, Nora, and Ruby periodically struck through it's body and legs as Ren made well aimed shots to it's Human-like head. His focus was intently laid on the beast, too intently as the creatures claws extended to him. He was knocked backwards with his aura flickering. Everyone stood awestruck for a moment.

Jaune recovered first, "Ren, you're grounded!"

Ren struggled to his feet and stood, looking at the creature. It's arm extended to him once again. This time Ruby's scythe cut it off as Nora rushed towards him. She grabbed his hand, but Ren still looked at the beast. He turned to look her in her eyes and found her crying. She pulled his hand and he resisted. She pulled with her might and Aura, pulling him off his feet as she ran back and under a house.

The Grimm readied to charge at the house when it was rammed full speed by Jaune's antlers, knocking it to the side and causing it to stumble. Ren attempted to rejoin the battle but Nora held his hand in place. "Nora, let go!" he shouted, "Nora, they're going to get hurt if we don't!.."

Without even looking up Nora slapped him hard across the face. He stopped and turned to face her, and she finally lets go, putting her hands in her lap. "No. I won't let you kill yourself like this." she said, every single word sounding like a cry for help. "After everything we've been through, I won't let it end."

She raised her head, but Ren saw his memory of Nora as a scared little girl before blinking and seeing her normally; both had tears in their eyes. So many thoughts and images flashed through his head, but it wasn't the end.

"I can borrow his shield." Ren quietly said, and Nora looked up, tear-sodden eyes seeming to glimpse hope, and she nodded.

Matching strides, they walked out from under the house, hearing the sounds of breaking stone, grunts from Jaune, and a couple of slow shots from Crescent Rose. Jaune dodged one of the extending claws when he turned to see them coming out from under the house. The creature turned towards them when Ruby's scythe cut of one of the back legs causing it to stumble.

"Ren!" Jaune shouted.

"Can I?.." Ren said, and paused for breath, trying his best to calm himself down. He darkened as he summoned his Semblance, "borrow your shield?"

Jaune looked him in the eyes for a moment before using his left hand to grab his collapsed shield and sword. It flashed with his Aura for a moment before he threw it to Ren. "You better have a good plan."

"If you could pin it's arms?" Ren asked, as he expanded the shield, just in time to deflect the claws from the creature. Jaune turned towards it once again and charged it, ramming it with his antlers. While it was kiltering, Ruby landed on it's far arm, using her scythe to pin it to the ground. Ren ran passed Jaune, tilting the the sword's hilt towards him. Jaune drew the sword as Ren ran passed, as Nora struct the horse-like body with her hammer. Jaune then used his sword to impale the arm as Ren walked up to the Human-like body. He paused momentarily to exhale before drawing a dagger from his boot and using it to cut the head off.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/640655446430154752/firen-lhain-chapter-506-yin-yang) tumblog.


	7. Elevation

Jaune sat in the back of the airship. Ruby squatting over Qrow.

"Miss?" one of the Mistralan soldiers asked her, and she looked at him. "If you could sit back..."

"But?!.." Ruby exclaimed.

"So I can examine him." the soldier stated.

"Ruby..." Jaune tiredly uttered, and waved her towards him. Ruby nervously looked at Qrow for a few more moments before turning to the back. Jaune gave her a powerful, harrowing, looked that called her towards him. As she was sitting down she found Jaune's arm over her shoulders pulling her in.

The soldier quickly began to examine Qrow. "So, what happened to him?"

"Scorpion Faunus." Jaune tiredly stated.

"Can you help him?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"With Faunus it's always hard to tell, but we do have a few scorpion antivenoms." the soldier stated.

"With you?" Ruby asked.

"Scorpion stings are pretty common around here." the soldier stated. He shuffled over to a cabinet and started going through it until he found the anti-venoms and shuffled back over. "With the fact I can see it through the bandages means it's probably a LOT of venom. Once I figure out which is the right one, I'll need to use the whole bottle."

"Here." Jaune voiced, and handed something wrapped in bloody cloth.

"Is this?.." the soldier tepidly asked him.

"Is it?!" Ruby much more firmly asked him

"Ruby was able to cut it off." Jaune stated, and Ruby turned even more pale. The soldier tepidly reached over and took the tail, opening it up. "I know which one to use."

Jaune just let out a great sigh of relief.

"Will he be alright?" Ruby nervously asked the soldier for a moment before turning to stare at Jaune in aew.

"I've seen Huntsmen bounce back from much worse," the soldier stated, "but it's lucky we got to him before it got any worse."

* * *

Aurora stood in the hangar when Weiss walked in. "Mistress!" she exclaimed, and the pilot stepped out of the airship.

"This is the gentleman that will be taking me?" Weiss asked. "Mr?"

"No names, Miss." Aurora stated, "We had to find someone corruptable enough to take us, but incorruptable enough to hold his word."

"Your Lien is good enough." he stated. "you can hide out back in the cargo hold. I'll take you as far as I can, but if we get caught, you're on your own. Understand?"

* * *

The two, wooden airships landed in the Mistralan aerodrome, well within the confines of Mistral. A large group ran up to them. Some medics, at least two of which were bearing stretchers. Others were dressed more finely, likely diplomats or some such. Ruby made to stand up but Jaune held her down, and she just sat, watching.

"Sting from a scorpion Faunus." the crewman said. "We gave him a full vial of anti-venom, and he has made significant progress."

"How much progress?" one of the medics asked.

"So much so that he is complaining that..."

"My flask in empty." Qrow stated.

One of the well appointed Mistralans walked into the airship. "Is there any reason to deny him?" he asked.

"Medically... it would create too many variables. Considering we don't know how much he's already been drinking." And Qrow sighed.

"I apologize." the well-appointed man stated, and Qrow sighed once again. The well appointed man then turned to Jaune and Ruby. "We will make sure he gets the finest care."

"They're good at that in Mistral." Qrow quiped.

"Taking care of people?!" Ruby eagerly asked, and Qrow groaned. "I'm sure you'll figure it out, soon enough." He then laid back in his stretcher. "You!" he said, and pointed at the well-appointed man, "You make sure they get taken care of!"

The well-appointed man turned around and bowed, "But of course." he said, and Qrow laid back again. The well-appointed man then turned back to Jaune and Ruby as Qrow was being carried away.

"Good luck, kiddos!" Qrow said as he was carried away.

The well-appointed man bowed. "My name is Dong Han. I am a bureaucrat with the Kingdom of Mistral."

"Hello." Ruby said to him.

"And what might your names be?" he asked.

"Jaune Arc," Jaune said, "and this is Ruby Rose."

"And your occupation?"

"Huntressesmen!" Ruby emphatically said, whereas Nora would be heard shouting the same thing from outside the airship.

Jaune squeezed Ruby's shoulders. "We are... were... students at Beacon Academy." Jaune said.

Dong Han bowed once again, "We were afraid of this." he said with firm conviction in his voice, but not his speech. "We are terribly sorry for your loss. And what brings you to Mistral?"

"I... really don't know..." Ruby nervously said.

"She had a hunch." Jaune said.

"A hunch?" Dong Han asked.

"Her hunches are usually right." Jaune stated. "We have been acting like Huntsmen."

"The Vytal agreement?" Dong Han asked, and Jaune nodded.

"Teams of students at the Academies," Jaune stated, "can take contracts as Huntsmen."

"But of course." Dong Han added. "Now, how long will you be staying in Mistral."

"We... don't know?" Ruby asked.

"Indefinite." Dong Han said with a smile. "We will make sure one of our guest houses is ready for you."

"Guest houses?" Ruby asked.

"For Huntsmen, but of course." Dong Han said excitedly. "Now, while you are staying in Mistral, you will be under the care of Mr. Qrow Branwen."

"He is my uncle!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Ah, yes, indeed like that." Dong Han added. Ruby looked at Jaune, who looked like he had tasted something sour.

"Hm?" Ruby asked, but Jaune just shook his head.

"Now," Dong Han said, "we have a lounge that will make sure you are taken care of before we can get everything ready. And your uncle can make a recovery."

"We're not so big on big gatherings..." Jaune voiced.

"Ah?" Dong Han asked, "Perhaps you would prefer to an isolated garden?"

Jaune and Ruby both nodded there heads. "That - actually does sound better."

"Wonderful!" Dong Han exclaimed, "Now, before I have my aid show you to the garden, due to your Faunus nature, are there any special accomodations you would require?"

Ruby and Jaune looked at each other for a moment before Jaune looked back at the bureaucrat. "Headroom?" he asked.

"But of course." Dong Han stated.

"If I may?" Ren asked as he approached the airship.

"Yes?" Dong Han eagerly asked.

"Two of our members can eat a considerable amount, even among Huntsmen."

"I will inform the caterers." Dong Han excitedly said.

"Caterers?" Ruby's asked.

"We assume that you are tired and famished from your long journey?" Dong Han asked.

"Indeed." Ren stated.

* * *

JNRR followed Dong Han's assistant as they walked along.

"So?.." Ruby asked Jaune, but he didn't seem to feel like answering.

* * *

JNRR looked down from their garden down the mountains that surrounded them.

"Is there anything," the assistant asked, "else I can get for you?"

Ren went to say something when Jaune turned towards the woman, "I'm sure your caterers will be wonderful on their own."

"Oh, why thank you, then if you would excuse me?" the assistant asked, and Jaune nodded.

* * *

"Alright, spill!" Nora shouted while pointing at him.

"They're handling us." Jaune stated.

"By helping us?!" Nora asked.

"It's the old classism..." Jaune sighed.

"Like Atlas?" Ruby asked.

"Thaat..." Jaune voiced, "seems like a new kind of classism. Just remember, we're not as free as we would be in Vale, and if we're told to do something, we have to."

"Vale was the kingdom of choice." Ren stated, "Mistral was knowledge, and wisdom is considered of the upmost importance here."

"I'm worried about Uncle Qrow." Ruby stated.

"Mistral has the best doctors in the world," Ren stated, "and they are at our disposal."

"Huntsmen," Nora added, "are considered like SUPER important here."

"I'm guessing they don't get paid as well." Jaune said.

"And you surmised correctly." Ren added. "The kingdom does more to support them, though, and they are given the upmost discretion."

"There's kind of a reason we went to Beacon." Nora added.

* * *

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby cried. She turned into rose petals to fly at him. She reverted to hug him. As per usual, it barely slowed him down.

"So, how are you guys doing?" Qrow asked. In reply Nora let out a great belch. Ren, who was sitting cross-legged stood and and looked at him.

"Fed and rested. It is good to see you on your feet."

"Yeah, well..." came Qrow's gutteral voice reply, "they're the only two we've got."

"I'm sure you heard the good news?" Jaune said to him.

"What's that?" Qrow asked him, Ruby still eagerly clinging to him.

"That you are playing babysitter." Jaune said, and Qrow leaned forward, sighing. Ruby swung down, and he used his arm to guide her to the ground.

"Yeah, well... you know... in Mistral, your reputation is everything."

"This is true." Ren added.

"But the thing is..." Qrow grumbled, "I don't really care about my reputation."

"This is also true." Ren said with a smile.

"So," Qrow continued, "you guys... feel free to do what you want. I'll take whatever fallout it might create."

"We would hate to impose..." Ren hestitantly stated.

"You wouldn't be." Qrow said to him, "You just escorted my niece across two continents. You're a friend of hers, you're a friend of mine. Simple as that, so... impose away."

"But like?," Nora asked, "have you met Ren?. Beecaauuse, he's like super-rules-following."

"Aaand," Jaune added, "Nora is super not."

"That's why I've got these two," Nora said, pointing at Jaune and Ren, "to keep a lid on me."

"Like a teapot!" Ruby added. Qrow pushed her hard enough on her back to get her to stumble forward into Jaune's arms.

"Alright, let's head for the house." Qrow stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641108435467943936/firen-lhain-chapter-507-elevation) tumblog.


	8. The Night Watches Back

"You're going to ransom me to my father, is that it?" Weiss asked from within the cage.

"If I could, Miss?" Aurora asked from beside her, and Weiss nodded. Aurora turned to Vernal, "The Schnee Dust Corporation has strict rules when dealing with ransoms." Vernal's eyebrows raised as she tried not to react, "All personnages must be completely unharmed, not just the primary person, and the ransom must be proportional to the primary person."

"And... if we follow these rules?" Vernal asked.

"The ransom will be paid promptly." Aurora replied.

"And if we don't want to follow the rules?"

"Then the Schnee Dust Corporation will use it's unlimited resources to hunt you down to the ends of Remnant."

Vernal faltered for a moment before recovering her confidence. "Oh?" she asked, "It's not like we're used to avoiding authorities..." she said, before Aurora cut her off.

"They won't be using legitimate means."

"And that's supposed to frighten us?" Vernal asked, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Haven't you noticed there are a lot less bandits than there used to be?" Aurora asked, and a shocked look appeared on Vernal's face. She then breathed in deep to recover a semblance of confidence.

"It's a shame you're a Schnee." Vernal said to Weiss, "You'd probably do quite well around here."

"I," Weiss said and paused to steel herself, "would never sink down to your level."

* * *

"Miss?" Aurora asked her.

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

"I would advise you from antagonizing our captors." Aurora stated.

"I don't intend to stay here that long." Weiss said, and tapped her new shoes onto the ground, causing a small Glyph to appear with a torso from an Arma Gigas.

* * *

A large commotion could be heard from outside the camp, as Weiss had the tiny Arma-Gigas cutting through the cage. Aurora stood up and looked over to the gates, seeing them blown open. "It seems goldilocks has come knocking at the door."

"Why does that remind me of someone?" Weiss asked.

* * *

"Yang?!" Weiss asked.

"Weiss?!" Yang replied.

"Ah..." Aurora stated.

"Aurora?" Weiss asked, and Aurora stepped back. "Well," Weiss continued, "subtlety is out of the window."

* * *

"You two, my tent, now." Raven said, and turned back into her tent.

* * *

Yang and Weiss hugged in the middle of the bandit camp, with Aurora standing awkwardly behind Weiss.

"Your new arm is so warm." Weiss nearly moaned, and Yang just hugged her even tighter, Aurora awkwardly standing nearby.

"I love you..." Yang whispered, and Weiss did not reply.

* * *

Yang with Weiss immediately behind her walked into the tent. Aurora tried to follow behind her, but Vernal stepped in front of her. "She did not invite you." Vernal stated, and Weiss paused, turning to look back at her.

"She's with me." Weiss stated.

"She - was - not - invited." Vernal repeated.

"I could summon the Arma-Gigas again." Weiss stated, and Raven reappeared at the entrance.

"If she comes in here she will learn the disturbing truth about the world that will shake her faith in whatever it is she believes."

"I would feel," Aurora said and paused, "more comfortable - by my Mistress' side." Aurora stated.

"If Raven says so, no one in the camp will touch you." Vernal stated.

"Which she has not." Weiss stated. Weiss and Yang looked in Raven's eyes, and Raven just turned back into the tent.

Yang looked Vernal in the eyes, "I don't know who the little bit is... but..."

"Aurora Ainsley." Aurora held out her hand.

"Yeah, really not the right time." Yang said, and turned back, looking between Raven and Vernal. "I don't know who's she is, but if she's with Weiss, she's with me."

"Thank you." Weiss and Aurora said at the same time.

"That's..." Yang voiced, "going to get on my nerves."

"All three of you, in my tent." Raven stated, she then turned to the bandits outside, ""Shay, you're banished."

"Just because she's your daughter?" Shay asked.

"No." Raven simply stated.

"Pfft." Shay replied.

"No," Yang stated, "family only gets one, and I've apparently had my one."

"Then... why?.." Shay asked.

"You seriously don't know, do you?" Raven asked. Shay looked at her, completely failing to understand the weight of what he had done. "You antagonize locals and harass travellers." Again, Shay did not seem to understand what he had done.

"We're bandits!" he exclaimed.

"You would bring the full force of the Kingdoms down on our head!"

"But..." Shay tried to say, before being cut off again.

"We go out and hunt. We keep a low profile back home. Because if we don't - we're all dead."

"Well, just because..."

"Just because you're going to bring the full force of the Kingdoms down on us?" Raven asked, "You also picked a fight."

"So?" Shay defiantly said.

"And lost." Raven continued.

"Well, she's..." Shay tried to say.

"Obviously a Huntress." Raven said to him, "And after you picked a fight with her and lost, you pulled the rest of the tribe in on it."

"But..." Shay tried to say.

"I thought I made this clear," Raven stated, "we only pick fights we know we can win. If not, we'll end up dead."

"As dead as the villages you destroy." Yang accusingly said to to her.

"Exactly." Raven matter-of-factly replied.

"You can't trust he's not going to blab on you?" Yang asked.

"Of course not." Raven replied, "We'll pick up and be gone before he has a chance to even get to Mistral. He's also going to lose an eye," she said, and turned to Shay, "you might want to decide which one it's going to be."

* * *

Weiss and Yang pensively looked to the ground as they tried to comprehend what was said. Aurora sat off the side, shaking nervously. "And what does your pet think?" Raven asked.

"I..." Aurora nervously said, "was ready... to serve... a Huntress..." She paused, shaking, looking at the ground. She slowly looked up, looking Raven in the eyes. "It really... doesn't change anything..."

"Hm." Raven said with a small amount of respect, "she's a lot more brave than I would have expected."

"You," Weiss accusingly said to her, "apparently don't seem to understand how racist the elite of Atlas are with Faunus."

"Enough to make you their princess." Raven stated.

"There is only one person who can get away with calling me a..." Weiss voiced, and looked off into the distance. She then shook her head and looked Raven in the eyes, "It took far more courage than you could muster to even APPLY to be my assistant."

"So?," Raven incredulously asked, "she's like really important in Atlas?"

"So, what does she do?," Yang asked, "Like a butler?"

"Similar but not at all." Aurora replied.

"So, you get her coffee?" Yang stated.

"Yes." Aurora said to her, "If she asks me to."

"What else do you do?" Yang asked.

"Make major purchases, such as her new shoes."

"Swank." Yang stated, causing Raven to scoff. Weiss stood up properly, and then in a moment ice spikes had appeared, doubling the height of the heels.

"Okay..." Raven voiced, "a bit impressive." A giant summoning circle appeared around the tent, with the head of an Arma-Gigas appearing from the ground." "Okay, okay, yeah, impressive, just cancel the giant."

With this the giant's head and summoning circle disappeared.

"Transfers assets into non-recoverable accounts." Aurora stated.

"Huh?" Yang asked, and Raven just looked her firmly in the eyes. "What?" Yang asked.

"You... can launder Lien?.." Raven asked her, and Aurora nodded.

"Or, at the very least, make her funds untouchable from her father."

Raven then looked at Weiss, "So, why do you trust her so much with your money? If it was me, I would have just taken the money and ran right away."

"Because that's exactly what Father would want." Weiss replied, followed by an affirmative huff.

"If I did betray her," Aurora stated, "I would not only be a fugitive, I would lose all of my legitimate income."

"One thing Father taught me is how to write a contract." Weiss firmly stated, followed by another affirmative huff.

"Weiss," Aurora continued, "is also the only member of Atlas elite to truly accept me."

"Who cares if you have the Lien?" Raven asked.

"If all I wanted was Lien, I could have had it years ago." Aurora stated, and Raven looked her steely in the eyes.

"You want respect, don't you?" Raven asked, and Aurora nodded, "Do you EVER think those rich twats in Atlas will respect you."

"Ms. Weiss does." Aurora said firmly.

"Shit," Yang stated, "she's like business amazon. Business Huntress?.."

"She has earned my respect," Raven stated, "whatever that is worth."

"That just sent a chill up my spine." Aurora voiced.

"Yeah... she does that..." Yang stated.

"She's _noticed_ you," Weiss stated," perhaps like a Fey in the woods and mists?"

"Really don't know if I like the sound of that." Raven stated, "I mean, it's ominious and poetic... and honestly reminds me of Tai..."

"Quoth the Raven," Yang said, "I mean, right?" she asked, with Weiss, Raven, and Aurora all looking at her with surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641199017865428992/firen-lhain-chapter-508-the-night-watches-back) tumblog.


	9. Present

JNR stood awkwardly by as RWY had their long-sought hug. The three eventually broke up. Weiss blushed as she looked Jaune in the eyes, her skin turning a light blue.

"Hey, you!" Yang aggressively said, pointing at Jaune.

Jaune looked behind himself before looking back at Yang. "Me?"

"We've got to have a chat."

"Uh... sure?" Jaune replied and Yang waved him on towards the patio. Jaune turned to follow her.

Ren walked up to Aurora, and bowed, "I am Lie Ren, and this is Nora Valkyrie." as Jaune ducked under the doorway to the balcony.

"I am Aurora Ainsley, personal assistant to Ms. Weiss Schnee."

"You are welcome in our temporary abode." Ren replied.

"How good is your math, kids??" Qrow asked, and they looked at him questioningly. "How many beds do we have?"

"Eight!" Ruby exclaimed, vigourously pointing at him.

"Uh, huh?" Qrow asked, "And how many people?"

Weiss quickly, anxiously looked about. "Nine." Aurora stated.

"Oh, dear." Weiss huffed.

"Ruby and I can share beds." Nora said.

"Not that I'm objecting..." Weiss voiced.

"Just being Weissy." Ruby said, and Weiss sighed. Weiss then cleared her throat before continuing.

"Why?" Weiss asked.

"Because we're the smallest!" Nora exclaimed.

Weiss's eyes shifted between the two. She felt that she should be included in the pool of smallest, but wasn't sure if she wanted the dubious honour.

"We are pretty adorable." Ruby said, and Weiss let out a sigh of relief.

"I know!" Nora exclaimed, "Plus we both carry giant weapons!"

* * *

Yang walked out to the railing and looked out at the view. She breathed in deeply for a few momemts before turning back towards Jaune. "Soooo?" she asked, "Since when I am your Summer Princess?" she accusingly asked.

Jaune nervously looked about for a moment until something came to him. He looked back at her with more confidence this time, "Oh!" he said, and hammered his right hand into his flattened left. "Since all the times I carried you home! And you..." he said and paused, before continuing much more quietly, "called me... daddy..." He was looking down, unable to look her in the eyes. He paused, waiting for her to do something, anything. In the end, she did nothing; she said nothing. Jaune slowly developed the courage to look her in the face and she was smiling. Why was she smiling?

"That was a pretty good answer." she eagerly said to him. "I'll give you that, and you should too."

"I should... what?" Jaune asked.

"Have some confidence in yourself." Yang replied, and turned back towards the railing. She waved him over, and he quickly moved to walk beside her. The two stood, looking out over Mistral. "Pretty swank." she stated.

"That's the way Mistral works." Jaune replied.

"Oh?" she eagerly asked him.

"Old school classism is well in effect." Jaune stated.

"Comes with it's perks." Yang said.

"Well, the headroom is wonderful." Jaune replied, and at this Yang developed a wicked smile. "It's good to see you smiling again." he said. Yang reached over and punched his shoulder with her right arm. "Glad to see that as well. You," he said, and paused, "had us all worried."

"I know," she delicately voiced, and breathed in deeply, "and, did... did you mean it?" Yang asked.

"Mean?" Jaune said.

"Your letter?" Yang asked, and Jaune looked completely lost.

"Um... I mean... probably?"

"What's that mean?" Yang asked with rising ire.

"I mean," he said, and paused to breathe in, "I wrote it like months ago, and I'm not really that eloquent."

"You... don't remember what you wrote, do you?" Yang asked, and Jaune hung his head.

"Sorry."

With this Yang laughed, forcing Jaune to look at her with shock.

"Chill, man." she said, "Well, it was the kick in the ass I needed."

"Well, glad I could help." Jaune said, "And I'm sure I meant what... ever... I said... Which was, what, exactly?"

"Oh, that's my secret." she said with a grin, and Jaune once again hung his head.

"Wonderful." he dejectedly voiced.

"It is." Yang said, and turned back towards the house. Jaune paused a moment before turning to follow her. "It," she said, and paused, "really means a lot to me." Yang voiced.

"Hm?" Jaune asked.

"You're one of a kind, Ladykiller." Yang stated.

"Tell that to my seven sisters." Jaune whined.

"My one seems to work well." Yang said.

"I'll trade my seven sisters for your one." Jaune voiced.

"My sis ain't for sale." Yang stated, "unless?" she asked.

"Unless?" Jaune replied.

"Ehn, who knows?" Yang asked, "We'll see."

"Now that you're back together again," Jaune voiced, "you're just as cryptic as you've ever been."

"Got to leave them wantin' something." Yang said.

* * *

Yang walked into the house, Jaune ducking to follow her. Jaune caught sight of Aurora. He walked up to her. "Hello," he said, offering her his hand. She turned to shake it with a surprisingly forceful handshake. Jaune looked at her with widening eyes. "Jaune, Jaune Arc." he stated.

"Ladies love it!" Ruby shouted from the background, and Jaune hung his head to sigh. He stood back up. "I'm never going to live that down. Sorry, and you are?"

"Aurora Ainsley, personal assistant to Ms. Weiss Schnee."

"That - is - ridiculous." Jaune stated, and everyone looked shocked.

"What the hell, Ladykiller?" Yang asked, and Jaune looked around, wondering why everyone was so offended, including Aurora.

"Are you saying that Weiss is not worthy of having a personal assistant?" Aurora accusingly asked him.

"No." Jaune stated, "She's maybe the most worthy in the entire world." With this, everyone recoiled with shock. Ren looked about between the others, noting that no one else was going to say anything. He then stepped forward.

"Perhaps... you could share with us why... that is... ridiculous?" Ren teppidly asked.

Jaune then looked everyone else in the eyes, "Do you guys not know what that is?"

"Like a butler?" Yang asked.

"Similar but not at all" Aurora replied.

"I..." Jaune grumbled, "got to sit down." Jaune pointed towards the couches. He moved over to sit down. The others moving to join him. "So?," Jaune asked, "Weiss is like an heiress, or something, right?"

Aurora nervously looked at Weiss. Weiss flushed both dark and light blues before breathing in deep. "Former." she stated.

"And... Schnee Dust Corporation is like... one of the biggest... anything... in the world?"

"Correct." Aurora said to him.

"Yang?" Jaune asked.

"Yo?" Yang replied.

"Do you know what a butler is?" Jaune asked.

"Like a maid? Like man-maid?" Yang asked, and Weiss sighed.

"The butler is only the most distinguished position in the household!" Weiss said with an offended huff.

"Other than family." Aurora added.

"And," Ren added, "I believe a man-maid is a manserveant."

"Correct." Aurora stated.

Jaune breathed in deep before continuing. "Okay, so, if the butler is the most important person in the household, the personal assistant to the president is the most important person in the company."

Ruby, Yang, and Nora all let out surprised "oohs" and "aahs"

"Wait?" Ruby asked, "So, she's like a mini-Weiss?"

Aurora made to say something, but then stopped, completely unsure of what to say to that. Weiss just huffed.

"Surprisingly..." a flustered Weiss stated, "Yes..." she grumbled.

"So?," Nora asked, "She's a huntressesmen like us?"

"I swear, Nora," Jaune voiced, "I might have to spank you whenever you use that word."

"I'd like to see you try!" Nora said to him.

"Perhaps now is not that..." Ren tried to say.

"Oh, I am so in on this bet!" Yang shouted.

Jaune just sat back and breathed deep. Ruby leaned foward, looking Jaune in the eyes.. "So?" Ruby quietly asked, and the chatter stopped. "How do YOU know so much about the hoity-toity stuff?"

Everyone turned to look at Jaune, who quietly looked around.

"but..." Jaune tried to say.

"I have been curious." Ren voiced.

Jaune just sighed. "Do you guys really want to know?" he asked, and a great chorus of affirmation followed. He once again breathed in deep. "Alright, but two conditions."

"Shoot?" Yang asked.

"One," Jaune said, holding up his right index finger, "everyone stays quiet until I'm done telling."

"I think we can manage that." Weiss stated. "We might have to gag Nora though." she quipped.

"I'll - have - you - know!" Nora agreesively said.

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

"That I'll do ANYTHING Jaune asked. Without a second thought."

"That part I think we can all believe." Yang said with a subtle smile. "Not that I'm one to call you out on the not-thinking thing."

"Luckily I've got Jaune and Renny to do the thinking for me."

"Too bad we have Ruby." Weiss stated.

"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed.

"And two," Jaune said, raising his middle finger as well, "one question at a time."

"Just like in class!" Nora exclaimed.

"Like one of Professor Port's lectures!" Yang added.

"I... uh... yeah..." Jaune voiced.

"I believe we can all agree to these conditions." Weiss stated.

Nora then raised her hand, "If we're having a story, can we have popcorn."

"Sadly," Ren stated, "popcorn is not really popular in Mistral."

"Aww..." Nora pouted.

"Perhaps we could worry about dinner after the story is done." Weiss said, and her stomach growled. She nervously looked around.

"I guess even ice qu..." Yang tried to say.

"Snow angels." Jaune said.

"That does work better." Yang added. "I guess even snow angels have to eat."

"Story?!" Nora shouted, and Jaune breathed in deep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641289610788536320/firen-lhain-chapter-509-present) tumblog.


	10. Prologue

Alright, this goes back to the Great and Powerful Oz. I really didn't think the two were connected, but Oz was the Good King. He was the King of Vale who ended the Great War. He's the one that made sure the Four Kingdoms were distinct, but cooperative. Synergy. We all worked in the same direction, even if we were all different. Which sounds like a given for the home of Choice.

Now, the great king came to a terrible conclusion: armies led to war. But armies were also necessary to the very survival of Humanity. We needed to take the best warriors of Remnant, and separate them from the armies. These new warriors would be free to fight the one thing that had to be fought, the Grimm. These were the Huntsmen and Huntresses. The Kingdoms took oaths to demilitarize. The knights of old turned their swords into plowshares. The peasants their spears into dustarms.

Dustarms don't need armies. Someone can be trained to use a dustarm in a few hours or weeks. To make a good longbowman, you need to start with his grandfather. Knights require their own lands to keep themselves in fighting shape. Horses and footmen are expensive afterall. A suit of armour can cost more than a peasant makes in a year... or more. Instead of peasant levies, kingdoms were staffed with guardsmen whom could be trained in a few weeks.

Knights took oaths for lifetimes, military service to their Lords and Kings. A guardsman could become a cobbler and a cobbler can become a guardsman. Choice, after all. It's amazing how much this explains. With Choice, the Huntsmen were free to pursue the Grimm, and people were free to pursue whatever job they wanted. Within a couple generations we eliminated poverty for the majority of people in Remant with, yes, some glaring exceptions. But, they were exceptions.

Now, what does this have to do with me? I really don't know if you'll be surprised or not, but my family was a knightly house. Swords - to plowshares - in a very literal sense. We took 120 acres for ourselves, gave the rest to our retainers as freehold. Our blacksmith went from making arms and armour to making hoes and plowshares. We believed in the Good King, and took an oath to end our military service, to hide our honour in our family graveyard, and become farmers. The Arc Farm is one of the most successful in Vale, at least when I was there. Dad is not as young as he once was, and my sisters couldn't keep up with my chores.

The trouble with farming is that you're also a builder. I could certainly carry my weight, which thinking back on it might have been me using my Aura, but building, I was terrible at. I couldn't sit still, I couldn't worry about my future, my sisters always had a better head for numbers than I did. So, I took up my ancestral sword and came to Beacon... in direct defiance of my ancestor who wielded it.

But when I was younger, the fact that we used to be a knightly house was always there. Maybe not visible, but you could feel it, you could feel the tension in the air. I was taught not just the etiquette of the elite, but why the rules existed, and spoilers, most of the rules exist just to make themselves feel special, to separate the - wheat - from the - chaff; the highborn from the low. I DETEST that kind of thinking. Which is one of the reasons I so dislike Atlas and Mistral. So, any questions?

Nora's hand quickly shot up, "Nora?" Jaune asked.

"Did you have horses?" Nora asked, and Ruby's hand immediately shot up.

"I want to know, too!" Ruby shouted, and Jaune smiled,

"Yes and no. We didn't keep the stables for ourselves, but our friends did run them, and we did get to ride the horses."

Aurora then raised her hand, "Uh... Aurora?" he asked.

"If you detest Atlas so much, why were you always pursuing Ms. Weiss?"

"Aurora." Weiss admonished.

"Withdrawn." Aurora stated.

Jaune looked questioningly into Weiss' eyes, "What?" she asked, "I didn't tell her."

Jaune then looked back at Aurora, "Then, how did you know?"

"Research," Aurora quickly stated, "for my position as Ms. Weiss' personal assistant."

"To answer your question..." Jaune stated, and Weiss developed a shocked look, "Because she's a snow angel. Next question."

"Alright..." Ruby voiced, "so, you were a knight, but not the snooty kind, so that's why you're not snooty?"

"Correct." Jaune stated.

"Aaand?," Yang asked, "Weiss ticks all of your boxes for being super glamourous but humble?"

"Correct." Jaune quickly replied, and developed a shocked look. He looked at Weiss who looked just as shocked as he did.

"Okay?" Ruby asked, "I'm not glamourous, but I am?.."

"Adorable." Jaune said, and Ruby pointed at him emphatically.

"Yes!"

"What about me?" Yang asked.

"You're more of a babe." Jaune stated, and Yang seemed quite happy with that.

"I believe we got off topic." Qrow stated, as he walked up to the group, "How many men-at-arms do you have?"

"None." Jaune stated, and Qrow sighed.

"Kind of what I figured. Why did Oz have to get rid of everyone who can fight?!"

"Because armies lead to fighting!" Nora exclaimed.

"Yeah..." Qrow voiced, "yeah..."

* * *

"I mean," Nora said, gesturing to Weiss right beside her, "the ice queen seems to like it."

Weiss stopped giggling, and Ruby bursts into laughter at Nora's remark. Weiss smiled nonetheless. "I did not miss you people." Weiss said as she rolled her eyes, causing Nora to gasp.

"Oh my gosh, she really does like it! What went and warmed your heart while you were gone?"

Weiss blushed and looked down before looking back up. "A lady has to have some secrets."

"You know?" Yang asked, "I don't think we're looking for a What but a one?"

"Come again?" Weiss asked.

"As in, someone." Yang added, causing Weiss to blush even more.

"Ooooh!" Nora exclaimed, "Dish!"

Weiss meekly looked down.

"I believe," Ren added, "she can anwer us when she is ready."

"You make it sound like I used to be terrible." Weiss stated.

"No," Yang stated, "just a lot to deal with at once."

"Very Weissy," Ruby added, as Weiss and Yang stuck their tongues out at each other, "but in a good way."

"I suppose I can be thankful for small graces." Weiss stated.

"The best kind for you." Yang added.

* * *

Emerald and Mercury walked up to the palisades around the bandit camp. "We're looking for," Emerald said to them, "for Raven Branwen."

"Well," one of the bandits said to her, "unfortunately you showed up on moving day, so she's a little busy."

"Oh," Emerald stated, "I'm sure we won't be long. We just want to have a - little - chat with her."

"Do you think you're the first Huntsmen we've fought?" another bandit asked. With this Cinder and Arthur appeared from the treeline.

* * *

Raven heard dustfire, and other signs of battle coming from the gate. She looked at Vernal, who raised her hand.

* * *

Cinder and Arthur looked up at the sound of the thunderstrike and smiled with glee. Emerald and Mercury were just knocking out the last of the gate guards.

"Sounds like the information was correct." Arthur stated.

"Then we won't be wasting our time." Cinder added, as she sashayed into the camp.

* * *

Oscar huffed as he recovered from Ozpin's bout with Ruby. He breathed in deep and tried his best to stand properly. "He did... have some other things to add."

"Liiikke?" Nora asked.

"That..." Oscar nervously voiced, "and you guys should know that this is totally not my idea..."

"What's up?" Yang asked him.

"He wants... Jaune... if you don't mind me calling you Jaune?.." Oscar said, and Jaune nodded, "to punch..." he said, and winced.

"What's up?" Yang repeated.

"Remember. Not my idea!"

"Yeah, we got that part." Yang replied, and then aggressively pointed at him, "Now spill."

"He... he wants Jaune... to Punch... Yang..." he said, gesturing between the two, "as hard as he can."

"Sweet!" Yang said, and pulled out the crash plates on Ember Celica and slamming them together."

"I REALLY don't like this idea." Jaune voiced.

"What's the matter?" Yang asked, "Don't think you can take me?"

"I just don't want to hurt you." Jaune nervously said.

"Who says you're going to hurt me?" Yang playfully asked.

"Alright?" Jaune asked as he walked up to Yang. "You... you asked for this..."

"I sure did." Yang eagerly said, and Jaune's noodly body stiffened up and she could swear she heard his muscles tighten. She looked in his eyes, and the goofball was gone. All that was left was unspeakable rage. He punched his gaultlets together and then stepped his left leg forward, right back, wound up, and struck Yang so hard she was knocked back. The punch was aimed down, so she flew downward, just striking the very edge of the patio as her aura flickered. Yang just laid there.

"I'm so sorry!" Jaune shouted as he ran up to her. He reached his hand down to her. "Are you okay?"

"Sunshine all the way..." Yang voiced.

"Because it doesn't sound like..."

"My... ego.. might be a bit bruised." Yang said, as she slowly reached towards his hand, "You hit like a freight train." Jaune helped her to her feet, and the two just stared at each other.

"Just as he thought," Oscar stated, and the spell between them seemed to be broken, "he has more than enough raw power. He just needs to learn to use it. Once Yang recovers, he thinks that she should be the one to teach him. Because... you are... Tai's?.. daughter... afterall... He also thinks that Weiss should teach Aurora some combat basics."

With this Aurora looked incredibly shocked and frightened.

"If I may?" Oz's voiced reverberated out of Oscar. Oscar breathed in deep, closing his eyes. When they opened up again they were glowing green. "I need to be brief, as I need to allow young Oscar to recover, but Miss Ainsley, if you are to accompany Weiss, you will need to know how to escape from a situation. There's no guarantee the rest of us will be able to come to your aid, and of the collected, Ms. Schnee is the most graceful." With this Oscar's eyes returned to normal, and he looked around nervously before leaning forward and breathing deeply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641742607059435520/firen-lhain-chapter-510-prologue) tumblog.


	11. Top of the World

Firen Lhain: Chapter 511: 

Ruby walked up to Weiss and Yang in the living room. "Team meeting, our room." Ruby nervously said to her.

"Sure." Yang said.

"I mean, I'm still the leader, right?" Ruby asked.

"What's it about?" Yang asked.

"That's... what the meeting is about..." Ruby nervously said.

"I'll be there with bells on." Yang said.

"She most certainly will not." Weiss scoffed, and Yang looked her in the eyes with a wicked smile.

"What's the matter, Ice Queen?" Yang asked.

"Just admit you were seriously thinking about it, weren't you?" Weiss asked, to which Yang nodded.

Yang then gestured to the stairs, "Ladies first." and a flustered Weiss scowled at her as she stood.

"Yang." Ruby admonished.

"She's just upset that I'm right." Yang said, to which a frustrated Weiss nodded.

* * *

Ruby sat on one bed with Yang and Weiss sitting across from her. "Okay, so..." Ruby nervously stated, "I've tried to think of the best way to bring this up, but I really have no idea what I'm doing here. So, I'm just going to come out and say it. "We..."

"All have it hard for Jaune." Yang said.

"I wanted to say it!" Ruby exclaimed.

Weiss scoffed, "Do you have to say it that way?"

"We've all got lady-boners for Jaune." Yang said with a wide smirk, and Weiss scoffed even louder.

"So?.." Ruby nervously continued, "I really don't know what we should do, but I love you both so much... that... I really... and I mean..."

"She means she wants to kiss you." Yang added, and Weiss looked surprised.

"I - DID!" Ruby exclaimed.

"What, seriously?!" Yang asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I kind of thought I should, but then, with the Vytal festival, things got SO complicated... and I don't know... I mean..."

"Easy, sis." Yang said, "There's only one thing you need to do for me."

"And... that's?.." Ruby nervously asked.

"Let me kiss her, too." Yang said. Ruby looked confused, Weiss scoffed loudly.

"I mean... I guess..." Ruby said, and Yang somehow managed to pick Weiss up and dip her down in one move, bring their faces so close that they could taste each other's breath. Weiss looked nervous, but did nothing: no protest, no complaint, no scoff, no huff, just breathing as she looked into Yang's eyes. Yang leaned down and kissed her with passion Weiss had never imagined from a kiss. Yang sat up, draping Weiss gently along the bed, both of them breathing heavily.

"Point of... um... order... I think..." Ruby nervously said. Yang and Weiss were still panting, but slowly turned to look at her, expecting her to continue. "Okay, right, so, the point of the meeting was to talk about Jaune... not... um... whatever... so... I mean..."

"I say," Yang breathily voiced, "that we agree to not do anything until after what happens at Haven. It will give us all a chance to think about this. No hugging, no kissing, no confessing. Nothing overtly romantic between ANY of us until after Haven."

"Okay... but... what if Jaune hugs us?" Ruby asked, and then began rambling, "Because-he's-like-a really-good-hugger-When-I-asked-he-said-he-had-seven-sisters-and-that-seems-to-be-the-only-thing-that-ever-happened-to-him-and-I-mean-it's-like-he-didn't-have-friends-but-I'm-not-really-one-to-talk-because-I-didn't..."

Weiss and Yang looked each other in the eyes as Ruby rambled on, came to a silent agreement, stood up, and both hugged Ruby. Yang kissed her on the head. A moment later Weiss kissed her behind the ear. She was not certain of the rules for this kind of relationship. But, this was technically a chaste kiss, was it not?

Yang let the other two go, and the group hug broke up. "Alright, how about this?" Yang asked, "If Jaune hugs one of us, the others get a free hug from him. Just make sure you keep it, cool." She paused for breath, and looked at Weiss, "Right ice queen?"

"If I am an ice queen?.." Weiss asked, "do I really need to - _cool_?"

"Despite being an ice queen, you definitely need to learn to chill." Yang added.

Weiss looked down for a moment before looking back up, "Could I, perchance, be a Snow Angel, instead?"

Yang leaned towards Weiss, causing Weiss to flush light blue, "Let's wait until after Haven, and see what happens. Who knows, we might all have new nicknames. I, for one, and apparently his Summer Princess." she said with glee.

Weiss looked longingly for a moment before catching her breath, "I do believe it is you who needs to – _chill_."

"I can get a bit hot under the collar." Yang added, "and... other places... Alright, I need to get some sweat in to work out this, uh, enthusiasm I have. Time to go and trade punches with Jaune."

"But!.." Ruby tried to argue.

"Look, sorry-not-sorry, sis." Yang replied, "Oz did say we need to work on Jaune's hand-to-hand skills, and just because I'm a little hot in the yang right now, doesn't mean we can't kill two lady - birds with one stone."

Weiss scoffed while Ruby just hung her head and sighed, "FFFIIINNNEEEE. But no hugging."

"Or you get a hug, too." Yang voiced.

"Assuming I'd have the courage to..." Ruby voiced.

"Worst case scenario, I'll just throw you at him."

Weiss looked at her curiously, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Never been more serious..." Yang voiced as she walked out the door.

* * *

"Alright," Yang said to Jaune, as the two lifted their fists, "hit me, but like... 10% of last time... or like 10% of that..."

"1%." Jaune stated.

"Yeah, try that." Yang replied. Jaune put barely any effort into it and hit Yang. "Yeah, like that." she said, and tapped him back. The two started going back and forth until Yang stepped back, lifting her hands. "Alright, now you're getting the feel for it. Remember, no two punches are the same. Every part of the body is different, and every way you punch hits differently." She then paused, "I've seen you already do this with Grimm. I'm going to teach you how each punch works, and when you use it." She paused, and looked distant for a moment, "Shit, is this what it was like for dad to teach me?"

"Hm?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, yeah, I kind of," she muttered, "have a tendancy to blow my top."

"Well, it works." Jaune stated, and Yang stepped forward, the two trading play punches again.

"Yeah, but what if it doesn't?" Yang asked, "I mean, what if I blow my top... and miss?"

"You just need to control your anger." Jaune stated, and reached back, making it as obvious as possible that this was a real punch. Possibly the realest punch he had ever thrown. Yang deeked to the right as Jaune's right fist flew past her hair, the shock from it visible as it traveled over the patio. "And learn when to let it go."

"What, you angry, bro?" Yang asked him, and he smiled at her.

"Don't bro me if you don't know me, ho'." he added, as the two went back to trading blows, though this time Yang was a bit more engaged. "Break." he stated, and Yang stepped back, angrily looking away. "You're pissed." he stated.

"No, I'm not!" she shouted, and then realized how foolish it was to shout about not being angry.

"Nothing wrong with anger." Jaune stated.

"What do you know about anger?!" she angrily asked him. She took a step forward and Jaune took a step away.

"I have seven sisters!" Jaune shouted, though doing his best to temper his shout, "From a... semi... traditional household!"

"What does that mean?!" Yang asked him.

* * *

Ruby nervously looked out the door to the patio, and almost stepped out when Qrow put his hand on her shoulder. "But?.." Ruby nervously said, and pointed at Yang.

"This is EXACTLY what she needs to hear." Qrow said to her, "I don't know what Tai said to her... but... scratch that, I DO know what he said to her; he wants her to be a coward. But Yang's not Tai. Tai is a mama bird making sure the rest of us idiots didn't hurt ourself, but Yang is a fire cracker waiting to go off. She doesn't need to be told to not go off, she needs to learn _when_."

* * *

"That means," Jaune continued, "they were allowed to hit me, but I wasn't allowed to hit them. Because we're all modern and progressive, but you know what?, that doesn't work on the farm. The strongest guy gets the most heavy lifting. Every day I used to watch my sisters get away with things I couldn't even dream of, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it! If I complained!.." Jaune said, and once again telegraphed his punch. This time it was angled down. Yang used her left forearm to brace against it and leapt off the ground, spining over it to avoid the shockwave, "It was just, OH, JAUNE, WHY CAN'T YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR SISTERS?!"

Yang landed a few feet away, and the two stood, huffing at each other. "Shit, man, that's tough."

"No shit!" Jaune replied, and then breathed in deep, calming himself, quieting himself, "but you know what I do with that anger?" he asked, and Yang looked at him expectantly, "I channel it into whatever I do. Whenever I lift something heavy, swing my sword, draw my bow, I channel my anger into it."

"So?," Yang asked, "You're like always pissed off?"

"Yes?.." Jaune asked, "No?.."

"At your sisters?" she asked.

"Y... No..." Jaune voiced.

"Then what?" Yang asked him.

"Myself." Jaune nearly spat, and leaned forward, looking down.

"Chill, dude." Yang said to him, and he looked up at her.

"Chill, dude?" Jaune asked. "You guys... accepted me..."

"Wha?.." Yang tried to asked.

"What?" Jaune asked, "Why, how?" he then leaned forward to breathe for a minute before standing back up again, "Do you know what it meant that you guys accepted me?"

"Friendship and babeship, and whatnot?"

"Well?.." Jaune asked, "Yes... but... alright, you said you spent your time taking care of Ruby, right?" Yang nodded in reply, "Alright, how about this, think about Beacon... the Emerald Forest... everything after... but... from Ruby?.."

Yang breathed in deep to calm herself down and shut her eyes; the images flashed in front of her eyes. Ruby watching her do everything she did. Yang then opened her eyes again.

"I was always behind," Jaune stated, "but I was tied to everyone else, and that meant if I fell behind, everyone else might FALL!"

"You know we don't think of you like that." Yang tried to reassure him..

"I... know..." Jaune voiced, "But you know what I'm afraid of the most?" Yang shrugged her shoulders, "Failing you, all of you. You guys are so amazing, and spectacular, and know what you want to do with your life... and I'm..." he trailed off.

"Do you think my life is perfect?" Yang asked.

"Far from it." Jaune stated.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I can see how much anger you have for yourself, and how that anger disappoints you and makes you angrier. I know how fragile you are, maybe better than you know yourself."

"But you... said... I was your strength." Yang voiced.

"I might be new to this friends thing, but isn't that how it works?" Jaune asked. "We help hold each other up?"

"Shit?.." Yang asked, and paused for breath, "Don't take this the wrong way, guy, but for some reason I just want to punch you even more." She smiled as she adopted a ready stance. A smiling Jaune punched his gauntlets together again and adopted one of his own.

"I feel the exact same way."

* * *

"Aw, man," Qrow voiced, "it brings a tear to your eye."

"I can think of no comment for that." Weiss said, and the crowd that had gathered inside the house started to disperse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 洋 (yáng) meaning "ocean" or
> 
> 阳 (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male"
> 
> * * *
> 
> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641833201717870594/firen-lhain-chapter-511-top-of-the-world) tumblog.


	12. Morning Coffee

Yang angrily walked into the house with her coffee cup in her hand when she heard someone coming up the stairs. She looked down and nearly had a heart attack. Jaune was walking up the stairs shirtless.

"Morning!" Jaune called as he climbed the last stairs, and Yang stumbled back a bit.

"So, uh... Ladykiller, why?.. are you all sweaty... and shirtless?"

"Because?," Jaune asked, "working out makes me sweaty... and so I took my shirt off... and... uh... Yang?"

Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs and looked him in the chest... I mean eyes... She looked him in the eyes. "Yes?"

"Is that coffee?" he asked, and she developed a wicked smile as she turned back to the patio?"

"Hey, Weiss?!" she called.

"Yes?!" Weiss replied from the patio.

"Do you have any more coffee?!"

"Oh!" Weiss replied, and a moment later shuffling could be heard, "yes, of course!" She rushed into the house and nearly slid to a stop when she saw Jaune.

"Morning, Weiss." Jaune said to her, and she just stared. "So, uh... coffee?"

"Oh, yes, what?, of course!" she replied, and rushed off to the kitchen. Yang turned to the ascending flight.

"Yang?" Jaune asked.

"I'm going to my room to mope." Yang said to him, "No ladykilling while I'm gone."

"I honestly don't know what to say to that." Jaune uttered in reply as Yang walked up the stairs. "Uh... happy... moping." he said, and Yang paused, looking back at him with the strangest smile.

"You know what?" she asked, and he shrugged, "Thanks." she said, and turned back up the stairs.

"What's all the... going on?.." Ruby asked as she walked inside. "Oh, sweet Good God!"

"Morning." Jaune said to her.

"So?.." Ruby asked, "Not only did you have a cute bunny under your armour, you had like ridiculous muscles underneath."

"I wouldn't say ridiculous." Jaune stated. "Would I? I mean, how much muscle do you need to be ridiculous."

"I don't know..." Ruby voiced, "I'd say..." and gestured to him, "that much. You're like Yang on steroids."

"I do believe that is how biology works." Weiss said as she walked up to the pair.

"What works?" Ruby asked.

"Men have testosterone, which is what steroids are made off."

"Sooo?.." Ruby asked, "he IS like Yang on steroids?"

"I don't think my hair is as nice." Jaune stated.

"Also a product of steroids." Weiss added.

"It is?" Jaune asked.

"How could you POSSIBLY know that?" Ruby asked her.

Weiss blinked at her a couple times before replying. "Because... I studied... biology?" she asked. "I'm not really sure how else I could answer that."

"I thought you were studying Grimm?" Ruby asked.

"I have studied a great many things." Weiss haughtily added. She then looked over to Jaune who's gazed was fixed on the coffee cup. "Oh, yes, of course. I have to apologize, I do not know how you like your coffee."

"Black's fine." Jaune said, and took a sip. "Oh, that's the stuff. Like much better than when anyone else makes it."

"Why thank you." Weiss replied, and found her gaze slowly descending. It took a bit of willpower to bring it back up to his eyes.

"I'm not saying," Nora said from the top of the stairs, "that you guys can't flirt. But could you, I don't know, do it quieter? Or not by the stairs?, or... is that coffee?"

"Fantastic coffee." Jaune said, as he savoured another sip. Nora reached down trying to grab it, but Jaune extended his arm to keep it out of her reach. She then tried to force her way by him, but he just blocked her, keeping her up the stairs.

"Nooooo." Nora voiced, as she reached for the coffee.

"Did you want some?" Weiss asked.

"YES!" Nora shouted, "I mean, yes please."

Weiss turned to walk away, as Jaune kept Nora up the stairs. Weiss came back to find Nora looking at her with a scowl on her face.

"Are you not coming down for coffee?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe if Jaune would let me." Nora said, as she reached in vain for the new coffee cup. Jaune just looked over into her eyes, staring at her. "Oh!" Nora shouted, "Please?" she asked, and Jaune stepped out of the way. "Thank you very much, WEISS." she said, and turned, scowling at Jaune. Jaune just reached his arm out to her, Nora pulling away as she saw it come close. "No, this is MY coffee. You have your own."

"And it's delicious." Jaune stated, taking another sip.

* * *

Blake felt her grip loosen against her blade as she looked at Ilia through tear-filled eyes. She could hear a Faunus with wings gliding down from above, but could not move... not even summon her aura.

* * *

Aurora walked in the front door and Nora jumped up from her seat, walking over to her. "So, what have YYOOUU been up to?"

"Making connections." Aurora replied.

"Hm?" Nora asked, as Jaune stood up from his seat to lumber over.

"Favours are the currency of the elite." Aurora replied.

"Any good ones?" Nora eagerly asked her.

"Several." Aurora simply stated, "Several through those managing Weiss' assets; several who want to do anything they can to help survivors of the fall of Beacon. I'm sure they want to do even more if Haven happens as you are expecting." Jaune handed a business card over to Aurora. "Hm?" she asked.

"Someone from Mistral who owes us a favour." Jaune stated, and Aurora developed a wicked smirk." Hm?" Jaune asked her.

"Oh, just seeing what my mistress sees in you."

"Huh?" Jaune asked, as Weiss hustled over.

"I do believe we need to talk." Weiss quickly said to her.

"Yes, Mistress." Aurora replied.

* * *

Weiss elegantly sat on one of the beds in the bedroom and pointed at the other. Aurora moved over and sat down. Weiss closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "And just what do you think you are doing?"

"Was the comment inappropriate?," Aurora asked, "if so, then I apologize sincerely." Weiss breathed in deep once again, "But I must say, Mistress, that he is the only Huntsman you ever mentioned." Weiss' eyes flew opened and glared at Aurora. "You mentioned quite a few times his few romantic overtures, and you had more and more trouble every time pretending you were offended by it." Weiss closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, trying to calm herself. "Your colours are showing, Mistress." Aurora stated, and Weiss looked down to see the light blue plummage below her. She looked back up into Aurora's eyes, completely uncertain of what to say. She breathed in deep once again, "And what would you have me do?"

"Well, for one, recognize that the sisters seem to share your condition."

"Ah!" Weiss exclaimed, "To that we have come to an accord!"

"Miss?" Aurora asked.

"We have agreed to take no positive action until after Haven is resolved."

"Well, fantastic." Aurora stated, "But remember that taking no action won't guarantee that they won't get closer to him."

Weiss glared at Aurora. "I thank you for your consideration, but I believe I can take care of this by myself."

"Do you know his birthday?" Aurora asked, and once again Weiss glared at her. "The name of any of his seven sisters?"

Weiss paused a moment before saying anything, "Which... does he..."

"He doesn't seem to have a favourite, per se, but strong feelings, in both directions, for all of his sisters."

Weiss once again sat quietly. Her eyes widened,

"Does he have a favourite cake?" Weiss asked.

"I haven't been able to find ANY favourite food." Aurora replied, "As for cake, he's from a large, rural family. Cakes were always home-made, usually pretty simple. His biggest issue is that he tended to only get one piece on his birthday."

"Then we will have to rectify that." Weiss stated.

"Just over a month away." Aurora said to her. Weiss stared at her, "Just into the start of the Semester."

"So?," Weiss asked, "just when we got into Beacon?"

"Yes, Miss."

"I hate to ask..." Weiss voiced, "but what else have you learned?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I’m not going to rewrite the Battle of Haven, and S6 starts immediately after the battle. Yang doesn’t pull her arm off, and Jaune uses his short-sword and shield to fight Cinder, but nothing else really changes.
> 
> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/641923794272960512/firen-lhain-chapter-512-morning-coffee) tumblog.


End file.
